A Mind of Madness
by idrawedyouaduck
Summary: SPOILER WARNING: Does contain plot spoilers. An alternate version of the Joker's interrogation in the film The Dark Knight as performed by a psionic commando from XCOM: Enemy Unknown.


A Mind of Madness

Mei Ling sat quietly in the terminal cafe sipping her coffee slowly. She watched the rain outside then checked her watch. 9:28 pm. She downed the last of her coffee and stood up, grabbing her duffel bag as she turned to walk away. Her mind drifted back to Argentina, where she was retired from XCOM after the terrible alien threat several years in the past. For her exemplary service, her commander decided to let her go back into the world instead of being dissected by Dr. Vahlen's psycho scientist team.

She thought it was a better fate, at least, to be lost than to be dead. She had heard from a friend that Gotham might be a nice place to go before deciding on another destination. Mei Ling was thinking about Wyoming when she finally got to the terminal double doors. Outside, and down the sidewalk a few meters, was a man with a sign on his chest that said 'XIANG'.

She made her way over to him. He was middle aged, perhaps late 40s, and looked bright and delighted to be there. Me Ling almost smirked. She was in her early thirties and hadn't remembered being that chipper in a long time. When he spotted her his smile widened and he flung the sign into the passenger seat of the black sedan.

"Colonel, it's great to finally meet you," he said enthusiastically while extending a hand to shake.

"Likewise, and you are?" Mei Ling deadpanned, after taking his hand and shaking it. Her Chinese features revealed nothing other than idle boredom.

"Oh I'm Agent Carlson," he said motioning towards the back seat. She stepped over to it while he held the door open.

"Dan thinks you'll love Gotham but there has been a situation since you were invited. I'll explain on the way," he said suddenly getting more serious.

Mei Ling just nodded and got in the backseat with Agent Carlson closing the door. He then jogged around to the drivers side and jumped in the front seat. Then they were off, navigating the airport traffic with ease. Agent Carlson didn't speak until he was on the highway.

"About a week ago, a criminal mastermind called the Joker started wreaking havoc in Gotham city," the agent began, "Approximately ten hours ago he was apprehended by local police. He is awaiting interrogation."

"What does this have to do with me? Can't the Batman handle a criminal who is already in custody?" she asked, staring out the window.

Agent Carlson audibly sighed.

"Unfortunately it's not that simple. Local police have likely already taken a crack at him but this guy is a real piece of work. Dan thinks your psychic abilities will really help with the interrogation. He'd like you to see what kind of information you can extract before Batman takes a crack at him," the agent spoke evenly.

"Alright let me see the file," she said, interested.

"How did you know there was a file?" the agent said reaching into the glove box.

She just tapped her temple with her right index finger so he could see it in the rear view mirror.

"Oh, right," he concluded dumbly.

He handed the file to her in the backseat. She flipped it open and began reading quickly and quietly. Agent Carlson turned on the radio but left it on low volume. She looked at the several pictures and depictions of crimes. So far he had murdered several people including a judge and a police commissioner, robbed a high profile bank, and shot up a number of buildings and a major freeway with explosives. He was apparently caught during the attempted assassination of of Gotham City's mayor.

Mei Ling's eyes flicked over the information and also began to read some of the Joker's quotes and threats. She closes the file and continues to look out the window.

"The guy sounds like a fuckin' nutcase," she concluded.

"You guessed it, Dan thinks if anyone can crack into that crazy ass brain it's you, and it was fortuitous enough that you were already coming," he said.

"How do you know Daniel Hendrickson?" she asked after some time.

"Agent Hendrickson is the overseer of my division," Carlson replied.

She just hummed with conclusion.

The drive took less than two hours. When they crossed over one of the many great bridges into Gotham Mei Ling couldn't help but be impressed by the city. It was one of the few she hadn't visited during the alien attacks and she instantly felt sorry for that. She looked around at the majestic skyscrapers and was glad that she had come. She was also a bit hesitant with breaking the mind of a madman.

They pulled up to the police station a few hours before sundown. Dan was waiting outside the side door from the parking lot and watched them pull in. Mei Ling locked eyes with him for just a second before getting out of the car.

"You can leave the bag in the car, this shouldn't take you long," he said with a bit of poorly disguised happiness.

She tossed the bag into the backseat and closed the door. Agent Carlson stayed in the drivers seat. She looked over at Dan and then made her way to him and gave him a quick hug.

"Is this what you thought 'lay low' meant? Playing policeman in the city of the Dark Knight himself?" she chided him as they walked into the station.

"It's been a long time since Michigan, Mae Lin, I dropped off of the radar for a bit like you told me too but then the alien attacks made people back home reconsider their priorities. I guess they stopped caring," he said slowly and evenly.

The spot where his left eye had been had receded merely to a scarred patch on his face. Mei Ling felt bad for him. Then she remembered her name change.

"I should tell you, I am going by Mei Ling now, again," she stumbled on her words, the first time she had done so in as long as she could remember, "Being a war hero at XCOM has gotten me a little bit of immunity from, well you know."

"Yeah, of course," he said smiling, "Now let's get down to business."

They came upon the glass window with a few cops standing outside it, looking in.

"Gordon, this is Mae Lin," Dan said breaking the ice with tact left wanting.

The older man turned to face them and straitened his glasses.

"Of course, Colonel, nice to finally meet you. I'm lieutenant Jim Gordon," he said quickly shaking her hand.

"Likewise," she replied smiling lightly, "Should start introducing yourself as Commissioner, to get used to it."

"So it's true," he said smiling.

"Maybe, this him?" she asked nodding at the man behind the glass sitting at the table.

"Yes, think you can crack him?" Dan said before Gordon spoke.

"We'll see," Mei Ling says before walking around to the door.

Gordon catches up with her and says, "Quick rundown, we are looking for two people he may have been involved in the kidnapping of. Rachel Dawes, and Harvey Dent. Dent is the district attorney here and Dawes is his girlfriend. Get me a location or any relevant information."

"On it," she says briskly before opening the door and stepping in.

She immediately runs into a wall of foul smelling cologne mixed with sweat and what appeared to be blood and gunpowder. He absolutely reeked of carnage. His head was lowered, but raised enough so that he could stare at her as she walked into the light. He was grinning, his makeup smeared and crusting. His green hair was oily and was strung about his head.

He giggled creepily at her approach. She stopped short of the table without sitting down.

"And just, whoooo might you be?" he asked with devilish malice hinting his voice.

"I ask the questions," Mei Ling said sharply then sat down.

"Oh of course, you ask the questions how can you not ask the questions, they got you in here to ask me questions so go ahead. Ask away," he said, mumbling.

"Where is-" Mei Ling began.

"Hey do you wanna play a game?" the Joker asked cutting her off. Before she could respond he said, "Let's play the guessing game. Here's how it works, see, now I ask you a question, breaking your rule of me not asking questions and you just deal with that. Sound fun?"

"Not interested in games. Where are Rachel Dawes and Harvey Dent?" she said, trying to be nice.

"Oh but that's no fun!" he growled and twisted his face in anger when he said the last word, "I just wanna play a game. Pass the time, get to know each other I feel like we could be fast friends if we just talked things out. How about a name honey?"

She closed her eyes and concentrated. She forced her way just a little bit into the Joker's mind using her psi powers and promptly hit a psychic wall which she just bounced off of.

She began rubbing her temple just as the Joker began rubbing his eyes in distress.

"Whoa," he smiled then, "Did you feel that? Are you trying to poke around in here?"

He tapped his forehead.

Mei Ling just sat back in her chair, appalled slightly at his willpower. He was clearly mad, but he was also no fool and was very formidable to face on the field of his mind. Mei Ling pushed a thought into Dan's mind who was standing just outside the glass.

'Keep the police out of the room, I have to soften him a little.'

Dan could not reply but she felt his acceptance of her order through the link.

"Alright Joker, looks like I need to pound you out before you'll understand," she said standing up from the chair.

The Joker just laughed, "Oh now that's more like it solve your problems with your fists because your brain and mouth weren't cutting it!"

Every word he spoke just dripped malice but also had tones of playful joy. He creeped her out, but he didn't scare her.

She grabbed a hold of Joker's scruff, without his resistance, and hammered a solid punch into his jaw. He snapped his head back to look at her and laughed maniacally. She punched him again and he just laughed again.

"I'll admit, you hit a little harder than I thought, but I'm not gonna bark just yet. My secrets I'll only spill for the right people. You ain't the right people," he said, leaking blood from his lip.

She just punched him again, this time putting a little bit more oomph into the swing. Her slightly modified muscles and bones made the impact harder than he likely ever felt. She felt a tooth loose from his jaw, and he coughed violently. He then started laughing and coughing some more before she dropped him to the floor.

"I swallowed a tooth," he mumbled fingering her gums, "Still didn't catch your name."

"You'll know it," she murmured, "Before this is all over."

She grabbed the Joker's head by wrapping her palm around his forehead. She then forced her way into his mind this time putting more pressure on his will. The beating had the desired effect and she pushed into his brain, scrambling his concentration.

From the outside it looked like he just went into shock with Mei Ling kneeling next to him. Dan had a hard time keeping the cops from intervening.

The inside of the Joker's mind was a frantic, terrifying place. She looked around, awe by it's twisting thoughts and complicated over stylized logic. There seemed to be a twisted sense of order to his desires and motives. However it was always changing, becoming chaotic again before becoming orderly. Always changing. There were also twisted and deformed images of normal things. She could see death, pain, suffering, joy, and hatred all dancing together inside his mind.

And everywhere around her she was surrounded by maniacal laughter. It was horrifying. Mei Ling found her way through the maelstrom of confusion and madness.

"Where are they?!" she shouted through the laughter.

A wild cackling could be heard before the Joker manifested himself. He began swinging his fists at her. Every time a blow connected he forced more laughter into her own mind. It was a terrible strain. She gritted her teeth and bared the onslaught, fighting back where she could.

"Now you are in my playground!" he yelled from all around her, "What is your name!?"

All around her he was muttering to himself, sometimes demands and sometimes questions.

Joker knocked her to the ground and produced a knife from his pocket. He put it against Mei Ling's mouth and yelled over the laughter around them.

"Do you wanna know where I got these scars?" he asked mockingly, with dreadful anger in his voice.

Mei Ling struggled, but every time she did so she could feel a migraine building and the pain of it coursing through her brain.

"When I was just a teenager I took my girlfriend to a bar," he began pressing the knife into Mei Ling's lips, "Her ex-boyfriend was there and he hated seeing me with her. He tackled me and shoved a beer bottle into my mouth. Then he punched my jaw shattering the glass and shredding my face. Well I got mad and threw him to the ground and put a bunch of the glass in my hands and-"

He seemed to shudder with anger but also sadistic joy.

"SHOVED IT INTO HIS MOUTH AND MADE HIM SWALLOW. Then I looked over at my girlfriend, who was horrified, and she ran away screaming. I chased her through the night, BLOOD DRIPPING FROM MY MUZZLE, and asked, 'honey why? Are you SCARED of me?'"

"Tell me little girl, are you scared of me?" he asked quietly, the laughter suddenly ceasing.

"No," Mei Ling's voice echoed from all around.

Suddenly a great wave of air forced him to the ground laying flat on his stomach. She then stood up and caused another wave of air to force down onto Joker's back.

"I tortured the minds of extraterrestrial beings who could crush buildings with their minds!" she yelled.

Every word, another wave of air came crashing down onto Joker's back, smashing him into the ground.

"My will is strong enough to CRUSH YOURS!" she yelled slamming him into the ground again. His minds manifestation tried to dematerialize then. Mei Ling pulled herself out of the Joker's mind and got back to reality. Joker was struggling against her grip and trying to crawl away. She grabbed him by the cheeks and punched him hard across the face. She then put her hand on his forehead and forced her way back into his mind.

He just laughed again when she made her way to his manifestation again. He was laying flat on his back.

"Do your worst," he spat.

"No," she said evilly, "You don't fear pain. You don't fear death or failure. You don't fear the unknown."

"That would make wrapped presents reeeeally boring," he offered.

"But I looked deep into your mind, and I found out what you are afraid of," the tone of her voice made the Joker stir.

"You couldn't-" he began.

"I have. And I will," she said, forcing her own voice into the Joker's continuous laugh track.

'MY NAME IS MEI LING'

"Should we help her?" Gordon offered, looking horrified at the scene in the room. Mei Ling was kneeling over the Joker, holding his head against the wall. The Joker himself was shaking violently and biting his own tongue. It was grotesque to watch.

"No," Dan said sternly, "She almost has it."

Just then Mei Ling let go of his head and the Joker quickly began to crawl away towards the corner screaming in terror. Every second or so he'd laugh, but his wails of apparent agony could be heard throughout the station. His face showed emotion in scrambles, a mix of fear, shock, pain, hatred, joy and even happiness somehow rolled into one facial expression and the shrieks of the damned.

She stood and left the room, the commissioner and the Batman himself were standing there waiting for her. She was breathing heavily but she spoke to Batman and the commissioner quickly and evenly.

"Ms. Dawes is on Avenue X at Cicero and Mr. Dent is at 250 52nd Street," she leaned heavily against the wall as the Batman nodded and ran off with Gordon close behind him.

"What was it like?" Dan asked.

"I'll never be the same," she replied, half smiling.

Dan just laughed, but in a more innocent chuckle kind of way.

Mei Ling and Dan walked lazily outside to the parking lot. She sat on the trunk of the sedan that Carlson was still idling in. Dan leaned up against the car and crossed his arms.

"What did you see in there?" he asked.

"I really can't say for certain," she replied, sighing, "He was obviously mad but there was an intellect in there like I've never seen in a human. He was also tricky. I had to really dig to find anything."

"Yeah? Hopefully they get there in time," he said wistfully.

"I can't believe that was the real Batman," she said, chuckling.

"He's a little intense looking isn't he?" he replied chuckling himself.

"Was he wearing like some advanced hockey pads or something?" she laughed more heartily, "I can't believe people like him are real."

"Just as crazy as you," he said.

She gave him a look that said, 'very funny, but cut it out.'

A few minutes of silence pass before Dan gets a message on his phone. He read it, with his face grim, and then looks at Mei Ling.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You were right about the locations, but it seems they were switched. The Batman went after Rachel Dawes but found Harvey Dent instead. The Commissioner got to where he thought Dent was at, but it was Rachel instead. Rachel was not recovered. An explosion killed her and nearly killed the Batman and Dent," he told her grimly.

She looked sad, but not altogether surprised.

"This doesn't concern you?" he asked.

"He didn't even remember his own name, Dan," she said sullenly, "I cracked him all the way to the core but there was nothing there. He just really believed where she was and where he was too."

"Or maybe his willpower is strong enough to give you the slip. Maybe the Joker is a lot stronger than you think," he offered.

"Or he is just so far traumatized that he doesn't even know what's going on. He's just stricken with genius," she said with finality.

She then opened the door to the car and got in.

"Bye Dan, tell them I'm sorry for failing them. I really am sad for Ms. Dawes," she said genuinely.

"I'll pass it along," he said as the car pulled away.

"Did you see the Batman? He seemed to be leaving in a hurry," the ever-chipper Agent Carlson asked when they got back on the highway.

"Yeah I saw him," she said quietly.

"Did you, you know, read him?" he asked, almost holding his breath.

"You a fan of his?" she asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Well, do you know who he is?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes," she said smiling.

"Well who is he?" he asked barely containing his excitement.

"That's classified," she said using her stern voice, with just a hint of playful.

"So cruel," he said sighing.

"So where are you headed now?" he asked.

"I thought about the country, but I think some more city time would help me get ready for the long winter," she replied.

"Any ideas?" he asked again.

She looked at him in the rear view mirror, "I was thinking Metropolis."


End file.
